Progression
by ThePandorica
Summary: A relationship, told in no particular order. JustinGabrielle


**Lifeboat (Noun):** a strong, seaworthy boat for use in rescuing people in danger of drowning.

**Gabrielle Delacour (Noun):** See 'Lifeboat'

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NOTE: This is not a love story. This is a story about love.

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**Day 26:**

"What's wrong with him?" asks a worried looking Hannah, who's only just apparated into Justin's apartment having left the kids hurriedly with Neville. Ernie had said that it was an emergency, but at the moment she can't see why. It's just Justin being Justin.

Ernie shakes his head and holds his wand aloft as he approaches his depressed looking friend who's too busy smashing the glasses in his kitchen cabinet to notice that he has company.

"Finch-Fletchley, if you smash another glass so help me I will hex your arse into oblivion. What, in Merlin's name, is wrong? Gabrielle flooed me to check up on you."

For a moment Justin seems to snap out of his reverie, before he smashes one last glass and responds in a scarily monotone voice. "Don't talk to me about Gabrielle Delacour." He almost spits out her name, as though it is poisonous to him before walking over the crushed glass to sit down in a nearby armchair.

But before he can get any further, Ernie – with the full weight of an ex-professional Quidditch player behind him – punches Justin full in the face.

-:-

**Day 1: **

It's one heck of a stormy night the first time Justin meets Gabrielle Delacour. It's May 2nd and the 10th Anniversary of the Battle of Hogwarts. For her, it's her niece Victoire's 10th Birthday but for him, it's the 10th year of remembering something he still wants to forget. Normally, he drowns his sorrows in a bottle of Fire Whiskey, but this year he's finally taken it on himself to accept Hannah and Ernie's invite to join in the celebrations. He regrets it the first moment he steps through the castle gates.

There are streamers everywhere and loud music is blaring out of some magically enhanced speakers – brought in especially for the occasion. Already he has a headache, so when he bumps into a small, blonde young woman, he can't help but snap a little.

"Watch out!" he cries, wincing a little as the pulse of the music makes his head ache even more. He wishes he could find the medical wing.

However, as soon as the young woman turns around, his breath catches in his throat and he can't help but reprimand himself for being so abrupt. He immediately tries to apologize, but she speaks first.

"Pardon Monsieur, but I suggest zat it is you, who should watch where zey are' goin'!"

Justin raises his eyebrows at the fire in this young woman, before brashly sticking out his right hand as way of apology.

"I'm sorry, I wasn't looking I-," he pauses to correct his rambling, "Justin Finch-Fletchley."

She nods and smiles pleasantly, now obviously pleased at his change in behaviour.

"Gabrielle Delacour. Pleased to meet you,"

They shake.

-:-

**Day 14:**

"'_Cause it's you and me and all of the people, nothing to do nothing to lose and I don't know why I can't keep my eyes off of you…"_

Justin's voice echoes in the bathroom as he lets the warm water run down his back. The pump in the shower hums noisily, but he still hears an appreciative chuckle from the other side of the door. He grins.

"It's by Lifehouse!" he yells over the pump, rubbing shampoo through his damp hair, "A Muggle Band – I don't think you'd have heard of them, they split up a few years ago."

Again, the accented voice of Gabrielle sounds above the pump and he smiles to himself.

"I 'aven't, but eet is very good! You sing like an Angel!"

"And you look like one!" he replies back cheekily, before turning off the faucet and wiping the suds from his face. Even now, he still can't quite believe his luck that he's dating someone as lovely as her.

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**Day 2:**

He wakes up with a hell of a headache. Then, he realises that he's not alone. Immediately, he sits bolt upright, causing a tray on his lap that he didn't even know was there, to fly off his bed. He swears very loudly before peering at the figure standing at the end of his bed.

"Well, zat is not exactly a good start to ze mornin' now, eez it?" chides a voice, as Justin rubs his eyes causing the figure to come into focus. He swears again.

"G-Gabrielle! Oh my goodness, I am _so_ sorry. I-I didn't, I-wasn't thinking…" he begins, rambling his way through an apology, before taking in her half dress form. He gulps.

"Um, we didn't, you know… Did we?" he starts again, feeling something akin to a blush rising up his cheeks. She shakes her head, and he can't help feel relieved (but also at the same time, a little disappointed.)

"Oh, erm, good -" he responds lamely, before being interrupted by Gabrielle who was now moving the tray and all its spilt contents to a nearby table.

"Non, you were very, how you say eet? …Gentlemanly. I was zee one who was drunk. You 'elped me,"

He sighs, nodding at the situation and gets out of bed, totally missing the approving look she gives his half naked form. He's too busy trying to find a pair of socks.

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**Day 27: **

"_Gabrielle, I am writing to…" _

He stops his quill and crumples up yet another piece of parchment, before tossing it into the fire. Growling, he curses loudly and pushes back his chair. Already his hands are stained with ink and he can feel a tired little twitch at the corner of his – now blackened thanks to Ernie - eye.

Around him, the odd piece of parchment lie strewn around the desk he's been sat at for the past half hour. He stoops to pick one up that's already laying there half open on the ground. He reads it.

"_You are like my lifeboat. You saved me, anchored me and stopped me from drowning in my own sorrow…"_

Almost immediately, he screws it up tighter, chucks it on the floor and '_Incendio's_' it. He doesn't care that there are now burn marks on the carpet.

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**Day 3:**

"_Dear Miss Delacour, I am writing to ask you whether you would like to come sailing with me tomorrow afternoon. It's a favourite past-time of mine, but don't worry about falling in - there will be lifeboats! It would be wonderful if you could make it. Sincerely, Justin Finch-Fletchley."_

Folding the letter carefully, he places it into a nearby envelope and seals it with wax and the mark of his family's Coat of Arms. His owls, Maximus, lands onto his table and as he attaches the letter onto his leg and watch him fly out through the open window, he can't help but smile a little.

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**Day 25:**

"I think zat we should take a break for a while,"

Justin automatically feels as though he's been punched in the stomach. He shoots a wounded look in Gabrielle's direction.

"Why? I'm enjoying this and I really l-like you! Don't you?"

She smiles and nods before trying to envelope him in a hug. He steps back coldly.

"I am Justin, mais, I cannot keep seeing you wizout telling my parents! Zey would kill me if they found out!" She protests weakly, before he interrupts her with a strangled laugh.

"So? Just tell them Gabrielle. I really don't see the problem here…"

"Zey would not approve because of who you are!" she cries in exasperation, leaving Justin speechless as the implications of what she has just said hits him.

It's because he's a Muggleborn.

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**Day 30: **

"Open the fecking door Finch-Fletchley, you bastard!" calls a somewhat familiar voice through his letter box, which Justin can't help but listen to. He's been ignoring the constant taps at his door most of the morning now, but this one he now can't ignore.

Sighing resignedly as he pads over toward the door, he catches his bedraggled and unshaven form in a nearby mirror, before opening it to see a very pissed-off looking Zacharias Smith standing outside. He steps back a little, surprised at his newest visitor.

"Smith, what the hell are you doing here?" he says suddenly, blocking up most of the doorway to stop him barging in.

"What do you think it looks like, you idiot? Macmillan and Abbot have just about given up trying to dig you out of your hole. Hell, even Neville and Wayne have had a try and now, I've been fucking dragged into this."

A look of confusion settles itself on Justin's face, before it finally computes just what, or who, Zacharias is talking about.

"Gabrielle?" he chokes out.

"Of course you fuckwit. Who else did you think I was talking about? Apparently she's been going mad. You won't answer her owls and now, she's heard that you've barricaded yourself into your flat. What part of 'she fucking adores the ground you walk on', don't you understand?"

He rolls his eyes, as he patiently listens to Zacharias' verbal attack. Only he could bring across his viewpoint with as much swearing as possible.

"I think you're forgetting the part when she said we had to 'take a break', because her family hated Muggleborns, Smith," he bit back, trying to hold back his own verbal assault as much as possible.

"I did not say zat zey hated you, Justin,"

The familiar voice sounding from behind Zacharias suddenly makes his blood run cold and his heart beat that much faster. He quickly rubs his eyes, only to find Gabrielle standing in front of him, with Zacharias now standing to the side.

"Then what did you say?" he responds, as the small lithe figure of his girlfriend edges up the steps closer toward him.

"I said zat if Fleur can be with Bill Weasley, zen I can be with you. I do not care anymore…"

But before she can finish, without thinking he swoops down to kiss her ignoring the catcalls of Zacharias to the side of him.

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**Day 31:**

This time, she's curled up next to him in bed and he's not at all startled.

Thirty days ago, he didn't even know who this special and amazing creature was, but now, thirty days on he wouldn't trade her for anything in the world. He was a mess quite frankly, but she helped him – albeit shakily – get out of that mess. She succeeded where his best friends, despite their good intentions had failed. He knows that they mean well, but Gabrielle is different. She's lovely and special in this way that he doesn't understand. If fact, he doesn't think he ever will.

She's sort of like his lifeboat. She picked him up and saved him from drowning. From ten years of drowning in his own sorrow, to be specific. And he's not sure how he'll ever repay her. But he'll give it a damn good try, that's for sure.

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_What day is it?  
And in what month?  
This clock never seemed so alive_

_-__**Lifehouse: You and Me**_

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**Review? **


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